Differential mechanism for adjusting aircraft surfaces



May 30, 1950 P. H. PELLEY 2,509,697

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING AIRCRAFT SURFACES Filed June 15. 1948 fIIflllVIlll/l wig-Ill $31M- llllI-lllllllll PER/7V A. P5115) INVENTOR.

May 30, 1950 P. H. PELLEY DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING AIRCRAFT SURFACES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1948 INVENTOR.

47'7'0fi/Vfy PERRY/K Patented May 30, 1950 DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM. FORv ADJ UST- ING 'AIR'GRAFT SURFACES Perry H.-.-'Pelley,-.=Wichita, Kans.,-assignor to. Beech Aircraft Corporation, Wichita; Kans, a corporation of Delaware iApplicatioh-June 15, 1948; Serial No. 33,128

-.6 Claims.

' The.; invention here.---disclosed--relates to. the op- 1erationpnadjustmentoflaircraft control and trim tsuriacesnsuoh .;as--present -'Qn"V:-t3i i1-' craft,-where --cthesur'acesare-adjusted in the same direct-ion for--elevatorreftectandinopposite directions for which can be produced at reasonably-now.oostand Mwhichwillbe thoroughly reliable andpractical.

aOther desirable objects and the novel features r -qfi prising 'the invention --are' seti forth or 1 will ,sappear -in the-course: of the following :speci-ficag-Thedrawi-ngs accompanying-and formingpart "oi-the -specification --il-l,ustrate --certain present w -commeroial tembcdiments of -the invention. Stnucture,-hwever-, may be modified-and: changed was :regards: this .-i'llustnation,;aal1 With-in 1 the true ,intentaamd'hrcad scope of the invention as here- :finafter: defined-rand claimed.

Fig. 1- inthe'drawingscis a-iside elevation of .zthe mechanism ior'operating V tail control .sur- .tfaces' or tabs, withrparts broken-away and ap- -pearing in-zsection;

.-Fig.--2 =is.an-enlarged-broken sectional-detail of (the cable lock structure Fig. -3 is -a.=- broken sectional viewsshowingthe --=-cableholding plug-secured in thepulley; the parts iappeari-ng on-theplane-cf line 3-3 Qf-Fig. 2; Fig-'4 is a-broken-planview of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

AF-ig. isaan enlarged vertical sectional view .rtakenion substantiallythe .plane' ofline --5-5 of .Fi fll; rFigsfi is a-broken horizontal-sectionalview ason substantially-the plane of line, 6- 6 of -.-Fig.- 1

Fig. T is a-:broken sideelevation of a-modified :-rform--oi.-lower bearing for-the upright actuating ,post or column. 1

1=As.particu1arly appears ,in Figs. Land 2-;the -'.invention comprises an upright-post orcolumn I 0 supported to have both turningzand fore-and-aft 1 tilting movements-and arranged: to impart these =movementsto? the control surfaces: or tabs; rudtder connections beingmrovided for rotativelyxad- --iiustrin thevpost andzelevator connectionsziontiltzing the post.-

qiost element-is-shown iniig. 1 .as -a torque ends .of-pi-ns 33 and the next'adjoining-spins. 3-5.

..2 tube or shaft supported at its lower end bysafl-se'lfaligning bearing and carrying ai -roller" llrat its upper end riding between parallel 'ffore -and aft extending tracks or rails 13, M.

The latter are shown int'Fig. 4 asintegrally connected together in this:relation byia-looped portion l5 secured ati i6=to thetransverse'sbulk- I head or-support H, and it-willzbennderstood; that these tracks: may: be similarly supportew ati-their forward ends.

The various increments of adjustmenharenimparted to the aircraft-surfaces in thei illustration -by push-pull rods l8," t9; suitably connected. with the movablesurfaces at-their outerends and-connected at their inner ends through:..se1f -'-a;ligning bearings 20 or the like with the outstandingclever arms2 l 22, fixed on the torque :shaft. :below the guide roller l2.

The "fore and aftor elevator :effect :adjustments-are accomplished in the 'il-lustratiorr byan elevator cable 23- operating a: pulley '24 .onshaft 25 between the track rails-'13;- l4, and carrying a sprocket pinion-16 for the: chain-21==loopedabout an idler 28 ijournaled:between-the:railsattthe rear and connected at its oppositesends-mith a yoke 29- swiveled on the shaftbelovwthe upper pair of torque arms =2 l ,"22.

The chain yoker'29 is shown in 'Eig-"S: as-made up of two complemental semicircular -pieces3{l freely surrounding a collar-3| .journaled on ;the

upperend portion of the shaft and carrying radially projecting pivot studs "32. rotatably entered in the companion yokesegments.

"These two parts of the yoke are shown-as secured together, assembled oventhe-pivot collar by the pins 33 at the ends of the-sprocket chain .21, which after beingpassed throughthe companionnlugs or cars =34 at'the ends of the two segments are secured in such relation by: the spring locking links-35 snapped over-the grooved;

This: provides a simple, safe and.-quickly as- 'semhle'dconstruction for. applying' thefore-and- :aftzpull' to the-shaft while leavi-ng it'free to tui'n torn-- rudder action.

The ratio of pulley diameter tosprocket pinion may be such as. to: introduce-anydesired" leverage applyingelevator-control force to the." torque :shaft.

-To provide 'a -safasecureand easilyassembleol --.ca.-b1e' connection "with the zpirlley, the special structure :shown inr-Figs. 1., -2 and; 3: ispreferably utilized, the same comprising a: pl-u'g"3'l: sized to snugly fit the circular hole-: 38 m -the-pulley, in-

-.-ward "fromthe. :and arranged 1 to confine a loop 39 of the cable drawn inward through the narrowed throat 40 extending from the rim or flanged portion of the pulley inward to such opening.

The plug 31 is shown in Fig. 3 as having a rounded and reduced bearing portion 4! for the loop of cable, between the ends of the same, to hold this loop free of abrasion with the surrounding wall of the plug cavity.

To assemble, it is only necessary, after locating a loop 39 of the cable in the grooved intermediate portion 4 I of the plug, to hold the outwardly extending portions of such loop together, lined up with the entrance slot 40, and then enter the plug transversely in the opening 38 to the extent permitted by the stop flange 42 at the end of the plug. In this fully seated position a split looking ring 43 may be snapped into a groove 44 then exposed at the opposite end of the plug and at the opposite side of the pulley to secure the plug in place.

The cable lock described may be used to secure the cable at any desired point and it does so without binding, crimping, straining or in any way injuriously affecting the cable. The bends in the cable loop where it enters the pulley notch or slot 40 may be on an easy radius to avoid strain at these points. The plug, while locked securely in place, may be readily removed at any time that it may be desired to inspect or replace the cable.

The rotary, rudder effect is imparted to the torque shaft in the present disclosure by outstanding torque arms 45, 46, fixed to the lower end portion 'of the shaft and having the rudder cables 41, 48 attached thereto.

In Fig. 1 the selfaligning bearing is shown located at the lower end of the torque shaft. It is contemplated, however, that this bearing or what would 'be considered its equivalent, a universal joint, may be provided at a point above the application of rudder effect so as to avoid any possible variation in the rudder applying connections from the fore-and-aft tilting movements of the shaft.

Such a construction is illustrated in Fig. '7, where the shaft is shown made in upper and lower sections Illa and "ID, with the lower section journaled in fixed bearings 49 and carrying the rudder applying leverage member, and the two sections connected by a universal joint 59 above the fixed bearing and above the rudder applying member. The latter is shown in this case as a pulley but it will be appreciated that this may be any other suitable leverage applying element.

To keep the mechanism as light, compact and small as possible, the guiding and. supporting tracks [3, l 4, are spaced closely together with the sprocket chain connections at 21, Fig. 4, oifset to the side of the pulley connections at 23, 24. This offset relation locates the upper end of the torque shaft closer to the rail l3 than to the opposing rail H. To compensate for this a filler block 52 is shown applied to the rail l4 opposite that portion of the rail l3 engaged by the guide roller I 2 so that said roller will track truly in a straight fore-and-aft direction.

The parts required in this invention are few in number and all of simple, sturdy construction, providing asafe, reliable mechanism which can be readily installed. Further, the structure is of an open character, providing easy inspection and ready servicing.

What is claimed is:

1. Differential adjusting mechanism for movable aircraft surfaces comprising an upright torque shaft supported for fore-and-aft tilting and axial turning adjustments, a stationary track for guiding said torque shaft in straight foreand-aft movements, means for imparting foreand-aft movement to said shaft, means for applying rotative movement to said shaft and connections extending from said shaft for applying such movements to movable aircraft surfaces, said track comprising a pair of spaced, substantially parallel rails and the shaft having a roller engaged between said rails, said first means including a cable pulley journaled between said rails, and a sprocket chain operated by said pulley disposed between the rails and connected with said post.

2. Differential adjusting mechanism for movable aircraft surfaces comprising an upright torque shaft supported for fore-and-aft tilting and axial turning adjustments, a stationary track for guiding said torque shaft in straight fore-andaft movements, means for imparting fore-andaft movement to said shaft, means for applying rotative movement to said shaft and connections extending from said shaft for applying such movements to movable aircraft surfaces, said track comprising a pair of spaced, substantially parallel rails and the shaft having a roller engaged between said rails, said first means including a cable pulley journaled between said rails, and a sprocket chain operated by said pulley disposed between the rails and connected with said post by a yoke loosely surrounding the shaft and a collar rotatably engaged on the shaft and having pivot studs swiveled in said yoke.

3. Differential adjusting mechanism for movable aircraft surfaces comprising an upright torque shaft supported for fore-and-aft tilting and axial turning adjustments, a stationary track for guiding said torque shaft in straight fore-and-aft movements, means for imparting fore-and-aft movement to said shaft, means for applying rotative movement to said shaft and connections extending from said shaft for applying such movements to movable aircraft surfaces, said track comprising a pair of spaced, substantially parallel rails and the shaft having a roller engaged between said rails, said first means including a cable pulley journaled between said rails, and a sprocket chain operated by said pulley disposed between the rails and connected with said post by a yoke loosely surrounding the shaft and a collar rotatably engaged on the shaft and having pivot studs swiveled in said yoke, said yoke being composed of companion segments having meeting lugs at the ends of the same secured together in the end links of the sprocket chain.

4. The herein disclosed differential adjusting mechanism for movable aircraft surfaces, comprising a, stationarily supported self -aligning bearing, a torque shaft having one end stepped in said self-aligning bearing and supported thereby free to rotate on its own axis and free to tilt back and forth in a straight fore-and-aft direction, parallel spaced tracks extending in a fore-and-aft direction at opposite sides of the free end of said torque shaft, a roller engaged on said free end of the torque shaft between said tracks for confining the tilting movements of said torque shaft in the fore-and-aft direction without restricting axial turning movements of the same, leverage applying means on said torque shaft adjacent the selfaligning bearing supported end of the same for imparting rotary adjustments thereto irrespective of the variously tilted relations of the shaft, means having a relatively rotative connection with said torque shaft adjoining the free end of the same for imparting fore-and-aft tilting movements thereto irrespective of rotary adjustments of the same and leverage extensions on said torque shaft adjacent the free end of the same and pushpull connections extending from said leverage extensions for applying the combined rotar and fore-and-aft adjustment movements of said torque shaft to operation of movable aircraft surfaces.

5. The herein disclosed differential adjusting mechanism for movable aircraft surfaces, comprising a stationarily supported self-aligning bearing, a torque shaft having one end stepped in said self-aligning bearing and supported thereby free to rotate on its own axis and free to tilt back and forth in a straight fore-and-aft direction, parallel spaced tracks extending in a fore-and-aft direction at opposite sides of the free end of said torque shaft, a roller engaged on said free end of the torque shaft between said tracks for confining the tilting movements of said torque shaft in the fore-=andaft directionwithout restricting axial turning movements of the same, leverage applying means on said torque shaft adjacent the selfaligning bearing supported end of the same for imparting rotary adjustments thereto irrespective of the variously tilted relations of the shaft, means having a relatively rotative connection with said torque shaft adjoining the free end of the same for imparting fore-and-aft tilting movements thereto irrespective of rotary adjustments of the same and leverage extensions on said torque shaft adjacent the free end of the same and push-pull connections extending from said leverage extensions for applying the combined rotary and fore and-aft adjustment movements of said torque shaft to operation of movable aircraft surfaces, said fore-and-aft adjusting means including a cable pulley journaled between said tracks, a sprocket chain operated by said pulley and operably supported between said tracks and a yoke carried by said chain and having a relatively rotatable connection with the torque shaft.

6. The herein disclosed differential adjusting mechanism for movable aircraft surfaces, comprising a torque shaft, means supporting one end of said torque shaft for free rotary and straight fore-and-aft tilting adjustments, means for guiding the opposite free end of said torque shaft for free rotary and straight fore-and-aft tilting adjustments, leverage connections with said torque shaft adjacent the first mentioned supported end of the same for imparting rotary adjustments thereto irrespective of the fore-and-aft tilting movements, means rotatably connected with the opposite free end portion of said torque shaft for imparting fcre-and-aft adjusting movements thereto irrespective of rotary adjustments of the same, leverage extensions projecting from said free end portion of said torque shaft and pushpull rods connected with said leverage extensions for imparting the combined rotary and fore-andaft adjusting movements of said torque shaft to movable aircraft surfaces.

PERRY H. PELLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 820,936 McAf-ee May 15, 1906 1,025,215 Stull May 7, 1912 1,370,579 Baker Mar. 8, 1921 2,271,579 Rouonet Jan, 27, 1942 2,418,565 Wohler Apr. 8, 1947 2,427,014 Means Sept. 9, 1947 2,454,981 Vint Nov. 30, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 414,476 Germany May 29, 1925 852,599 France Oct. 3, 1939 

